From WO 2007/073273 A1 a mechanism for opening and closing a front hatch, which is retractable into the body of a railway vehicle, is known. In a closed position of the hatch, a coupler which is supported from the vehicle's chassis is covered behind the front hatch. Upon opening of the front hatch the coupler is uncovered in order to admit coupling to a connecting railway vehicle. The front hatch is described to comprise at least two separable sections that are pivotally supported on a cantilever beam which extends freely from the vehicle's chassis. According to the described mechanism, the front hatch sections are retractable inside the body in a linear motion once they are in a separated mode. The linear motion takes place along the cantilever beam.
The known mechanism makes it necessary that room is provided behind the coupler so that the hatch sections can be pulled behind the coupler in the linear motion for the open position. Additionally, the known mechanism has a certain degree of complexity due to the use of two hatch sections that have to be separated and moved around opposite sides of the coupler.